Thirty Years in the Itinerancy

and Potatoes.--Mill Creek.--Rock River.--Rev. J.M.S. Maxson.--Oakfield.--Cold Bath.--Fox Lake.--Gospel vs. Whiskey.--On

he first was now to be held at Oshkosh. In going, I took the trail leading from Ceresco to Oshkosh, and traveled the whole distance

house on the south side of the river. The Elder preached, and at the close of the service, the Quarter

arge he rendered effective service in other fields until 1852, when, having almost lost the use of his voice, he took a superannuated relation. But as soon thereafter as his health would permit, he entered the service of the Bible Cause and for three years proved an efficient Agent. In this work his field of labor lay mostly in the new and sparsely settled regions of the Chippewa Valley, and along the frontiers of Minnesota. But here he evinced the same perseverance and self-den

the accommodations were ample. The Elder preached in the morning and the writer, as the visiting Pastor, in the afternoon. The meeting was well attended and greatly enjoyed by all. The people, of course, were mos

y on farms or claims in the vicinity of the river or lake. During my stay I was entertained by Broth

antly, and at its close I returned to my wo

y compass as eagerly as Christian for his roll, but I could not find it. This was a double misfortune, to lose both the way and the guide at the same time. I resorted to the device of the backwoodsman, and tried to determine my course by the moss on the trees, but I found this to be a great perplexity and abandoned it. I traveled in divers directions and devious ways until nearly overcome with fatigue and hunger, w

ns had become scarce. It was meal time. A few potatoes were taken from the embers and placed on a chest, as a substitute for a table. I was invited to join them in their repast, using a trunk as a seat. Grace was said, under a special sense of the Divine favor. A little salt was added, and the meal was one of the most relis

most central house of the neighborhood was the residence of Brother David Moul, who kindly offered it for a temporary chapel. An appointment was established, and on the 16th day of November a class was formed.

organization of the class. It was a single sheet of foolscap paper, folded together in book form, and stitched. The names upon it were mostly in my own handwriting, and the Leader had carefully made his weekly entries of present and absent, until the pages were filled. The other object of interest was the old house, in which the first meetings were held. Here we had seen remarkable displays of Divine power. And as I now looked upon the old structure, the early scenes seemed to return. I could again see the wide room, filled with rude seats, Brother Moul at the door as

and I turned sadly away, half regretting that I was no longer a

estate. Situated on a prominent highway, his house, until the days of railroads, was the stopping place of all the preachers who needed entertainment at either

ormed a class. The members were W.J.C. Robertson, Martha Robertson, Mary Maxson, Mary Keyes, James Patterson, Charles Drake, Abigail Drake, and Elizabeth Winslow. The last named subsequently became the wife of Rev. J.M.S. Maxson. The first Leader was Brother Robertson. Both the congregation and class grew rapidly in this neighborhood, and the appointment soon took a leading position on the charge. During the ensuing winter a revival occurred, and gave an

utmost capacity, the good brethren would fill the court around it with wagons, carriages and buggies, loaded with people. It was at one of these gath

occasion to deplore her share of the responsibility. Brother Maxson entered the Conference in 1850, and filled with great credit, Omro, Fall River, Grove street Milwaukee, Oconomowoc, Rosendale and Ripon charges. At the last na

kinson Settlement, which had recently been attached to my charge from the Fond du Lac Circuit. It was situated on the south side of the marsh, nine miles f

, when he was pastor of Lake Winnebago Mission, and consisted of Russell Wilkinson, Leader

. I was now on the school house side of the stream, and there seemed to be no alternative but to go on. I would gladly have found a shelter and a fire elsewhere, but it was out of the question. So, putting on a bold face, I hastened forward, and found the people in waiting for the minister. As I entered the school house, with the ice rattling at every movement, my appearance was ridiculous in the extreme. But not more so than that of the audience. The faces of that crowd would certainly have been the delight of a painter. Some of them were agape with surprise and amazement; others were agonized with sympathy for the poor minister; and others still were full of m

rpose of a chapel and a tavern, was built with two parts, and might have been called a double house. The one end was occupied as a sitting-room and the other as a bar-room. The meetings were held, of course, in the fo

a conflict of appointments caused a momentary ripple. My appointment had long been established, and, to the surprise of the people, another appointment was announ

tened very attentively to the sermon. But not so the discomfited young man. Being placed under the eye of the congregation, his condition was pitiable in the extreme. But finding after awhile that I was master of the ceremonies, and that no one in the congregation seemed ve

trong society was established. Then came the erection of a commodious Church and a very pleasant Parsonage. Fox Lake

at the residence of a brother by the name of Morgan. At the first service held December 7, 1845, I formed a class of six. Brother Morgan was appointed Leader, a

was specially adapted to the position; a man of great faith and ardent impulses. Under his Leadership, the class was in a most flourishing condition. The late revival had, however, so swelled the numbers that a division became necessary. An appointment had alread

eral years after he removed to Fond du Lac, and greatly prospered in business. In 1852 I had the pleasure to present him with a Local Preacher's license. He was employed one year as Pastor of Liberty

lliam Willard, Leader, Huldah Ann Willard, Samuel C. Grant, Ruth M. Grant, and Elizabeth Benedict. The class grew rapidly, and the appointment took a leading rank on the charge. Burn

ged to visit them and establish an appointment. On reaching the place to fulfil this agreement, I found that besides this family several others had also settled in the vicinity. At the first meeting, appointed before there was a family in the neighborhood, we had a congregation of fifteen persons. The class was for

upun, and was an occasion of great int